


the hope that i was born with will get stolen

by sammyspreadyourwings



Series: my precious bird of myth (how can you spread your wings) [6]
Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018), Queen (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe Fallen Angel, Established Relationship, Fallen Angels, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Memories, Multi, Prophetic Visions, Protective John Deacon, Protectiveness, Religious Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-22
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:36:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27152575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sammyspreadyourwings/pseuds/sammyspreadyourwings
Summary: John has nothing else to do but remember, and he cannot stop the events in play.
Relationships: John Deacon/Brian May/Freddie Mercury/Roger Taylor
Series: my precious bird of myth (how can you spread your wings) [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1956025
Comments: 8
Kudos: 14





	the hope that i was born with will get stolen

**Author's Note:**

> Angel John!! Is back!!
> 
> Prompt: Just let them be, they aren't harming anyone.

John grimaces at the flapping of wings. He tosses the rest of his bread out towards the swans.

“That’s bad for them,” the voice says.

He turns his head to see Veronica – at least that’s the name on her name tag – standing with her arms pulled behind her back and stunning black wings tucked in. John has always thought the shimmering blue in the dark black was beautiful. He misses his wings more acutely than he has in the past three years.

The way he could wrap the feathers around Freddie, and how texture-sensitive Roger would drag his fingers through them, and how Brian would love to pull and flex them to watch how they move. He misses flying too, he supposes and the convenience of them. But simply put, if he had his wings he couldn’t be here.

“Am I going to look like I’m talking to myself?”

“Unfortunately,” Veronica’s wings twitch, “unofficial visit. Don’t want to alert anyone by freezing time.”

John flicks his eyes around, noting the downy white hiding behind trees. He doesn’t the Uriel is even bothering to hide except for the sake of politeness.

“Not a demon,” John murmurs, “is that all you need?”

“You know it isn’t,” Veronica says softly, “listen to me Uriel and I have made a promise, you get your wings back…”

“But?” John huffs, “c’mon _Ronnie.”_

The end feathers of Veronica’s wings spread out. John supposes being able to rile someone up so easily wasn’t very angelic of him, but he couldn’t help it. Especially because he knows the bargain – the exact terms change every year, but it is the same they have been offering since his birth.

Keep your wings and in exchange throw away your heart.

“What does it matter,” John blurts, “they aren’t harming anyone.”

“You know what they are John.”

“I do,” John snorts, “but believe me when I say they aren’t what everyone is saying they are.”

“Nephilim –”

“Are so blinded by their human side that they can’t see their angelic,” John repeats, “except that Roger and Freddie don’t have a _clue_ if they were going to tap into it they would have done something to save Brian.”

Most humans pull at any sense of others if they feel it. Powerful energy like angels poses would be so easy to corrupt a human. And he knows that both would have considered touching the power worth it to save Brian’s life. John might have meddled there more than he should have. He bought just enough time.

“Ah yes, your martyr.”

John wishes he could flare his wings out wide. He had only one set, but the wingspan matched that of the archangels. It's why they don’t want him away from their control. He tilts his head and stares where he can see Uriel’s light. Even camouflaging them in white doesn’t hide their brightness.

“He isn’t.”

“He will be. You can’t change fate.”

“That’s a lie and you know it,” John retorts, “it’d break the whole free-will bit.”

“Consider it.”

“I have – I did millennia ago, and if I didn’t then – from just that vision do you think I would now.”

“You are meant to Watch.”

“I Fell,” John shoots back.

Veronica’s wings snap out before she tucks them back to her side neatly. John can see where the feathers are twisted, and despite himself, he wants to preen her. Maybe he can tame the instinct by playing with Brian’s hair tonight.

“You are an Angel still,” Veronica sighs, “that won’t change unless you turn to a demon. We can’t live as Fallen forever.”

“You won’t get to them,” John says, “can’t beat that magic.”

John jumps at the second fluttering of wings. Uriel stands before him. Archangels are intimidating, John supposes, their six wings often coated in silver or golden adornments, Uriel is the prettiest of them (Michael is vain and often walks around as though he an average member of the seraphim), the “extra” eyes easily covered by bangs or a helmet.

“Watcher,” Uriel says the voice gravely and the voice makes John feel warm, “you are a stubborn one.”

John opens his mouth, but Uriel cuts him off, “but magic is not infallible. _Things_ happen.”

“You burden yourself with Nephilim – except you don’t call them that. You call them humans. You deny yourself the vision.”

“They are humans – until they touch that part of them, _they are humans._ ”

“Oh, little Watcher, you don’t seem to get it, do you?” Uriel’s head tilts, revealing the dozen or so extra eyes, “as long as they are _human_ we can’t touch them, it’s a shame you weaseled your little Starchaser out of death’s grip. But what is a few years more to us?”

* * *

John’s eyes open. He has to squint through the light. Uriel stands before, wings spread wide, the tips arched up. He knows this to be the victory stance but what had Uriel won? Especially in a collapsed battle between two demons – but he had only seen Andras hadn’t he?

“Little Watcher, watched too hard and lost what it was meant to be seeing,” Uriel bends down and taps a finger to John’s forehead.

Pain worse than when his wings had been taken when he Fell burns up and down his back. He falls forward with a sudden weight. John cranes his neck and stares at the gray feathers picking up the dust from the ground turning the tips brown.

“No,” John gasps, “what did you do?”

“I did nothing but watch, little Watcher, I saw the power bubbling to the surface and woke it up. Amazing what demons can do with the proper motivation.”

“You –” John gasps his voice cut off.

“Don’t worry, it's only the pretty blond we woke up, but our contract is fulfilled.”

“I never agreed to that.”

“We promised it to you, angels don’t breathe their oaths.”

“Your Muse is next and whatever will your Starchaser do? Left a _ll_ alone. You stopped nothing.”

**Author's Note:**

> Uriel is a dick.  
> Also, Uh oh?
> 
> As always, leave your thoughts and comments below!


End file.
